Congress launches 3-month national campaign on inflation, exam scams
Synopsis
Congress has launched a three-month national street campaign covering inflation, NEET scams, unemployment, and foreign policy failures — framing it as a constitutional defence, not just electoral opposition. The timing, coinciding with a Rajya Sabha nomination dispute in Madhya Pradesh, signals the party is pushing on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Key Takeaways
The Indian National Congress announced a three-month national campaign on 11 June , directing all party leaders and workers to mobilise on the streets.
Campaign issues include inflation, unemployment, NEET exam scams, social inequality , and Gulf conflict diplomacy .
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X that paper leaks in NEET and recruitment exams have 'shaken the trust of millions of youth.' The party flagged the rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh as a democratic concern.
Congress General Secretary K.C.
Venugopal criticised the Centre's diplomacy on the Gulf conflict , citing the deaths of three Indian nationals and concerns over the proposed India-US trade agreement .
The Indian National Congress on Thursday, 11 June announced a sweeping three-month national campaign targeting inflation, unemployment, exam scams, social inequality, and what the party called weak diplomacy in the wake of the Gulf conflict. The campaign, directed at every Congress leader and worker, was unveiled after a high-level All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi.
What the Campaign Covers
Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal confirmed that the three-hour meeting brought together General Secretaries, In-Charges, and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Presidents from across the country. 'We are going for a national-level campaign for the coming three months. Every Congress leader and worker should be in the field and on the street,' he said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, framed the campaign as a defence of constitutional values. 'Today, the country faces serious challenges such as inflation, unemployment, exam scams, and social inequality. Paper leaks in NEET and various recruitment exams, along with controversies related to the education system, have shaken the trust of millions of youth and their families,' Kharge wrote.
Rajya Sabha Nomination Row Adds Political Edge
The AICC meeting was convened against the backdrop of a sharp political dispute over the rejection of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh. Venugopal alleged the rejection was procedurally flawed, noting that Natarajan faced no criminal case, no FIR, and no charge sheet. 'The reason is that she didn't disclose a notice sent by a court. There was no criminal case; there is no criminal case against her,' he said.
Venugopal also raised a parallel concern in Jharkhand, alleging that a 'BJP-sponsored corporate candidate' had not even filled in his name correctly in the nomination form, yet faced no disqualification — a contrast the party said exposed selective application of rules.
Foreign Policy and the Gulf Conflict
Criticising the Centre's handling of the Gulf conflict, Venugopal said the government's diplomatic posture had been 'wishy-washy,' pointing to the deaths of three Indian nationals in the conflict zone. He also flagged concerns over the proposed India-US trade agreement, arguing it would 'harm Indian farmers in a greater way.'
Notably, this is not the first time the Congress has launched a sustained street campaign against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — similar mobilisations preceded the 2024 general elections, with mixed electoral outcomes for the party. The three-month window, however, suggests the Congress is calibrating its organisational energy ahead of upcoming state assembly cycles.
What Kharge Said on Institutions
'Today, unfortunately, we see that those institutions and systems, which took decades to build, are now being deliberately weakened. Therefore, our responsibility is not only towards political struggle but also towards protecting India's Constitution, democracy, and social justice,' Kharge said in his post.
The Congress's campaign framework is expected to be rolled out in phases at the state level, with PCC presidents tasked with coordinating ground activity. How effectively the party translates this organisational directive into sustained public mobilisation will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
NEET, diplomacy, and constitutional concerns into a single mobilisation frame. But breadth can dilute impact: parties that campaign on everything often land on nothing. The Rajya Sabha nomination row in Madhya Pradesh is the sharper, more immediate grievance, and the party's ability to sustain street energy on it — rather than letting it dissolve into a press conference cycle — will be the real test. Kharge's constitutional framing is notable; it signals the Congress is positioning itself not merely as electoral opposition but as an institutional watchdog. Whether voters receive it that way is a different question.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Congress three-month national campaign about?
The Indian National Congress announced a three-month national campaign on 11 June to mobilise party leaders and workers on issues including inflation, unemployment, NEET exam scams, social inequality, and the government's handling of the Gulf conflict. Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said every leader and worker should be 'in the field and on the street.'
Why was Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination rejected?
Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh was rejected on the grounds that she did not disclose a court notice. Congress leaders have contested this, stating there was no criminal case, no FIR, and no charge sheet against her, calling the rejection procedurally unjust.
What did Mallikarjun Kharge say about NEET and exam scams?
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, said paper leaks in NEET and various recruitment exams have 'shaken the trust of millions of youth and their families.' He added that Rahul Gandhi had personally met affected students to present their concerns before the nation.
What is Congress's criticism of the government's foreign policy?
K.C. Venugopal criticised the Centre's response to the Gulf conflict as 'wishy-washy,' noting that three Indian nationals had been killed. He also raised concerns about the proposed India-US trade agreement, arguing it would harm Indian farmers.
What was discussed at the AICC meeting on 11 June?
The AICC high-level meeting, held at the party's New Delhi headquarters, covered organisational strategies, the upcoming three-month campaign, the Rajya Sabha election, and the nomination disputes in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. The meeting lasted approximately three hours and included General Secretaries, In-Charges, and PCC Presidents.
